Hungary to impose 'hamburger tax'

BUDAPEST - THE Hungarian parliament voted on Monday in favour of a so-called 'hamburger tax' on foodstuffs regarded as unhealthy in a new bid to boost government finances. The new levy, to be enforced from September 1, will be slapped on foodstuffs with high sugar, salt, and carbohydrate content, and products containing more than 20 milligrams of caffeine per 100 millilitres of the product. Consumers will have to pay 5.0 forint (S$0.03) per litre on high-sugar drinks, 250 forint per litre on so-called energy drinks and 100-200 forint on cakes and biscuits, under a bill approved with 255 votes for, 54 against and 36 abstentions. Hungary has already slapped controversial taxes on the banking, telecommunication, retail and energy sectors in a bid to boost public revenues, and the so-called 'hamburger tax' was first mooted in March. 'Studies have shown that in recent years the...